Afterwards, it emerged that the FFF (winners in 1998 and Runners-Up in 2006) had suspended Chelsea’s Nicolas Anelka for 18 games, and Captain Patrice Evra (Manchester United) had received a 5 match ban for their part in the unseemly events in South Africa. Vice-Captain Franck Ribery, of Bayern Munich FC, has been suspended for three matches while Jeremy Toulalan received a one match ban for his role in the mutiny against the Manager Raymond Domenech and his coaching staff.

New Manager Laurent Blanc decided not to select any of the 23–man World Cup squad for his first friendly last week when they lost 2-1 to Norway, but he will hope to move on now that the inquiry has published its findings.

I cannot remember a similar incident before in sport where a team has stood squarely together against the Coach and refused to train at such a prestigious tournament. I know the French are regarded as a passionate nation, but it seems that their emotions got the better of them on this occasion. However, from a psychological perspective, it shows there was a solidarity amongst the players. The problem was obviously their resistance to the management’s style or methods, but it seems a travesty for the French nation that their team forgot their wider responsibilities whilst ccouped up in the confines of a pre-match World Cup training camp.

My sense is that every player will all feel some degree of shame and will never be allowed to forget that their 2010 World Cup will be remembered for their militant action rather than for the footballing excellence they were supposed to reveal.

The irony of France’s under-performance in South Africa, was that they only managed to qualify for the Finals by winning a play-off against Ireland, and in doing so, Thierry Henry sullied his own reputation by blatantly handballing the winning goal, which caused untold controversy at the time.

I wonder if he now thinks his actions in the pursuit of victory were worth the trouble?

It reminds me of the old sporting saying:

‘It matters not who won, or lost, but how you played the game.’

His last match was played on this day in 1914 for Eltham v Northbrook.

Ironically, Grace did not bat or bowl, in the match – in complete contrast to his remarkable playing career where his ‘all-round’ skills enabled him to dominate every aspect of the game. With incomparable skill, his deeds with bat, ball, and in the field helped him amass the remarkable First-Class career statisitcs of 870 matches; 124 centuries; 54,211 runs; 2,809 wickets; and 876 catches.

It is amazing to think he made his final First-Class century (166 for London County v MCC) on his 56th birthday, and captained England against Australia at the age of 50 – a testament to his durability and love for the game.

WG Grace was the first icon of Cricket, and in the true definition of being regarded as an ‘expert’ on a subject, his legacy has grown since his career and life ended, nearly a century ago.

The subject of ageism has dominated some employment tribunals recently, and there have also been some high profile journalistic cases where famous newsreaders like Moira Stewart and Selina Scott (having been overlooked for younger ‘models’) questioned the selection process and right of equal opportunity. Why should people be rejected from further opportunity just because of their age? Why should employees have to retire at a specific age if they want to maintain their high standards of performance?

Watson’s remarkable sporting performance at Turnberry, was the catalyst to me exploring the phenomenon of age and performance. The history of sport shows us that some exceptional deeds have been accomplished by ageing performers, and therefore any modern prejudice against experienced or ‘veteran’ players may best be considered as nonsense.

Veteran Lawn Bowls champion Willie Wood is set for a record eighth appearance at the next Commonwealth Games, after being chosen to represent Scotland in Delhi. The 72-year-old has previously won two gold medals, one silver and one bronze. Wood will be the oldest member of the team and first represented Scotland at the New Zealand Games in 1974. Wood’s achievement in reaching his eighth Games is unmatched by any athlete in any sport.

London County’s original Founder , Dr WG Grace, (‘The Great Cricketer’) scored his final First-Class Century on his 56th birthday for London County versus MCC in 1904. Grace was 51 years old in his last Test appearance, versus Australia at Trent Bridge, in 1899. He played his last First-Class match at the ripe old age of 58.

This week, Sachin Tendulkar became the most-capped Test cricketer (169) in the 3rd Test v Sri Lanka in Colombo, passing Steve Waugh’s record of 168 Test appearances. Last week, in his record-equalling 168th Test, Sachin made a double century for good measure. Age has not diminished Tendulkar’s hunger for runs. In the past year he has made five Test centuries:

“As long as you are mentally strong and prepared to go through the grind, age really does not matter,” Tendulkar said after the drawn first Test against Sri Lanka last week.

“I think everyone should just stop talking about the age factor. If I can score a double hundred at 37, I don’t think age really matters.”

In February 2011, (health permitting) Sachin will play in his sixth ICC Cricket World Cup.

Last week, Glamorgan and former England off-spinner, Robert Croft, took his maiden hat-trick in First-Class Cricket at the age of 40.  The previous week Croft had taken his 1,000th First-Class wicket to join his run tally of 10,000 career runs. He is proving that players in the twilight of their careers can produce vintage performances. The history of Cricket shows us that Croft’s story is not unique:

Omar Henry was 40 years and 295 days old when he made his Test debut for South Africa. He was also South Africa’s first non-white Test cricketer. Other notable sporting debutants include:

James Southerton:  the oldest Test Cricket debutant when he played for England against England in 1877. He was 49 years and 119 days old, and Leslie Compton who was 38 years and 64 days old when he made his England Football International debut in 1950, making him the oldest debutant since the Second World War.

Alec Stewart was 40 years old when he made his 133rd and last Test appearance for England versus South Africa at The Oval in 2003. Stewart is England’s most capped Test cricketer.

Sir Jack Hobbs, the Master Batsman, scored a total of 199 career First-Class centuries for Surrey and England, making 100 of them after the age of 40.

At the age of forty Surrey batsman Mark Ramprakash continues to dominate English First-Class Cricket. He also won BBC TV’s Strictly Come Dancing Final in 2006, displaying great charisma and the athleticism of a 21 year-old. He is playing as well as ever and could go on to follow in the footsteps of Grace and Hobbs, by playing on and on without seeming decline in his statistical achievements.

Professional Football has had its share of elite performers whose longevity mirrored their quality of peak performance.

Legendary Hungarian striker Ferenc Puskas (of the ‘Magical Magyars’) was one of the first to prove how excess weight and age did not diminish performance over time. He used his intelligence to outwit opponents as his pace slowed. After leaving his country of birth (Hungary) Puskas qualified to play for Spain, where he excelled for the Spanish giants Real Madrid in European Cup Finals, including scoring four goals versus Eintracht Frankfurt in 1962; a hat-trick versus Benfica in The European Cup Final in 1962 (aged 35); and four goals over two legs in 1965 against Feyenoord to help Real Madrid (at the age of 38) go on to win the European Cup in 1966.

Legendary Goalkeeper Dino Zoff became the oldest winner of the FIFA World Cup at 40, when he captained Italy to success in Spain 1982.

England’s most capped player is Goalkeeper Peter Shilton with 125 caps and a world record for clean sheets in FIFA World Cup Finals matches. His 30 year professional career brought him great success including playing as a 40 year old in the FIFA World Cup Italia 1990. I went to see Peter’s 1,000th Football League game on 22nd December 1996 for Leyton Orient versus Brighton and Hove Albion. It was televised live by Sky and provided a great tribute to a top-class professional who eventually hung up his gloves when he was 47, having played his 1005th and final League game.

David James 39 finished the FIFA World Cup in South Africa last month as England’s number one goalkeeper. Last season he played for Portsmouth in the FA Cup Final.

Italian left-back, Paolo Maldini, was 41 years old when he retired from a 25 year career with AC Milan, the club his father Cesare, had also graced as player and Manager, while England’s Billy Bonds was 41 years and 226 days, when he last played in the old First Division for West Ham United. Bonds made a record number 793 appearances for East London club. During the two winters I had the privilege of training with West Ham during the off-season of my professional cricket career, I witnessed the phenomenal fitness level Bonds possessed and the demanding training sessions he put himself through to maintain his energetic and combative style of play against players half his age. He was a perfect example to all aspiring professionals with regard to his commitment to intensity and quality whenever practicing or training.

The most remarkable of all footballers though was the legendary winger Sir Stanley Matthews, who was 42 in his last England appearance against Denmark, and 50 years of age in his last League appearance when he played for Stoke.

Great Britain sprinter Linford Christie was the oldest male athlete to win the 100 metres at The Olympic Games when he ran 9.96 seconds at the age of 32, while one of the greatest Olympians of all, Sir Steve Redgrave, was 38 when he won his fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal in 2000 at Sydney.

In 1990, South African runner Bruce Fordyce was 35 when he won his record ninth Comrades Marathon (90km or 55.9 miles) in 5 hours 40 minutes and 25 seconds. He had previously won eight consecutive Comrades titles up to 1998, with his fastest time being 5 hours 24 minutes and 7 seconds in 1986.

Merlene Ottey recently took part in the European Athletics Championships at the age of 50. The Jamaican sprinter is now representing Slovenia and still looking to add to her remarkable career medal tally.

Bruce Forsyth (at the ripe age of 82) is a wonderful role model for society. His vitality when presenting BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing punishing schedule of prime time TV Light Entertainment at weekends is remarkable and deserving of a Knighthood for services to entertainment and for inspiring retired people to ‘have a go’ at life still.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth of England is now 84 years old and her 58-year reign has seen her interact with 11 different United States Presidents. Her ability to engage with people all around the world on official duty is remarkable and shows little sign of slowing despite being an octogenarian.

So, whatever one’s age, it highlights that at the top level, experienced performers are worth their weight in gold, and that age should be no barrier to performance if the love of the activity remains intact.

This phenomenon of ‘love’ is the central theme in our mentoring work with top performers and emerging players. If one can empower the performer to nurture their love for their sport (or chosen discipline), the possibility of top performance increases over time.

Sachin Tendulkar with the London County team at Lords. May 2006

Today, in the 3rd Test between Sri Lanka and India, at the P Sara Oval in Colombo, Sachin Tendulkar became the most-capped Test cricketer of all-time.

His 169th Test cap takes him past the legendary Australian Captain Steve Waugh.

In his record-equalling Test last week, Sachin made a double century against Sri Lanka, proving that age is not diminishing his desire to make big runs. I imagine Steve Waugh will be sad to lose his record, but the calibre of the man will appreciate the fact that such a fine player, and person, has eclipsed his record number of Test appearances.

Ironically, when Waugh’s record was set in 2004, when he played his final match at The Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), Tendulkar played one of his greatest innings, making a highly-disciplined 241 not out, as well as making 60 not out in the second innings. It was an outstanding performance by a great player, who had been out of form until that point, including getting out caught behind first ball in the previous Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

I was privileged to have watched Waugh’s last two Tests on my last trip to Australia, and fortunate that his finale at SCG included Sachin’s brilliant double century, where he eschewed driving through the offside for the duration of his great knock, (due to previous dismissals where he had ‘nicked off’) revealing remarkable restraint from playing one his favorite off-side drives.

It is fitting that the best player in the world should possess most of the sport’s records, but also sad for any individual whose record he has eclipsed on his way to achieving greatness.

Steve Waugh typified durability and tenacity throughout his distinguished career and for Sachin to reach 169 Test caps it reveals so much about his desire and love of playing cricket at the highest level. To maintain one’s standards for two decades is a remarkable feat in modern sport.

I had the privilege of playing against him when he was Yorkshire first-ever Overseas Player in 1992, and finding his feet as a highly-talented but slightly naiive young cricketer. More recently, through my friendship with Anil Kumble, I have spent more time in Sachin’s delightful company, and always been struck by his modesty, charm and humility.

With regard to his fame, motivation and excellence in Cricket, he gave a recent interview to BBC Radio, which I think is a wonderful example of what drives top performance in the best performers. He said:

” I don’t play for records, I play for enjoyment. That’s how it started out and that’s how it is. The dream was to play for India, and I aim to do my best every time I play. I don’t like to compare innings, I have respect for each one. ”

For the record, Sachin’s other world records include:

ODI Records:
Most Runs: 17,598
Most 100’s: 46 (his first was not until his 79th match)
Most 200’s: 1
Most 50’s: 93

Test Matches:
Most Matches:169
Most Test runs:13,742
Most centuries: 48

Many congratulations to ‘The Little Master’: a superb cricketer, a wonderful person, and a truly great ambassador for the game of Cricket.

When Pragyan Ojha was caught at slip by Mahela Jayawardene to conclude the Test, Murali achieved a record which is 92 wickets ahead of the next bowler (Shane Warne), and one which is highly unlikely to ever be surpassed. In 133 Tests, Murali was a constant threat in the 43,669 balls he bowled, and took an incredible 67 5-fers, and 22 10-fers, in a stellar Test career.

It is a truly remarkable achievement, born out of skill, determination, stamina and courage. In the process, he had to endure various kinds of slurs about the legality of his bowling action, and undergo some scientific testing to prove that the flexion in his bowling arm was within the limits set by the ICC, who are the sport’s international governing body. When controversial Australian Umpire, Darrell Hair, called Murali for ‘throwing’ and no-balled him several times during the Boxing Day Test between Australia and Sri Lanka at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 1995, Murali’s world could have fallen apart. However, his strength of spirit and openness (with regard to being tested by any scientific means in order to prove his innocence), won him many friends and also dis-proved those who were negative and cynical about his legality to ply his trade as a Cricketer at the highest level.

Murali’s legacy goes beyond his wickets and the influence he had in establishing Sri Lanka as a force in Test Cricket. As the only Tamil, of Indian origin, to represent Sri Lanka, he has always been a man apart, but his nature has encouraged inclusion everywhere he has gone in the world.  His humanitarian heart led him to establishing his ‘Foundation for Goodness’ charity, and has enabled him to make a significant contribution to a wider world, especially in the aftermath of the Tsunami which devastated Galle in Sri Lanka several years ago. Fate has it that the great bowler’s final act in Test Cricket should be at the venue he helped to re-build after the natural disaster.

From a cricketing perspective, his bowling forced a change of the Laws of Cricket. The ICC and MCC (guardians of the Laws of Cricket) were forced to re-examine the wording of Law 24.3(definition of a fair ball) ”A ball is fairly delivered in respect of the arm if, once the bowler’s arm has reached the level of the shoulder in the delivery swing, the elbow joint is not straightened partially or completely from that point until the ball has left the hand,” and include a sentence which reads: ‘‘This definition shall not debar a bowler from flexing or rotating the wrist in the delivery swing.’’

Murali’s achievement will bring great joy to all who appreciate the diversity of cricket, and the role of spin bowling. He began his career at a time when Shane Warne and Anil Kumble were also proving that the policy of selecting four fast bowlers wasn’t the only way to bowl out an opposition team. Like Kumble, Murali was originally a medium-fast bowler who converted to spin in his teenage years and transformed his performance as a bowler. Between them, these three giants of the game transformed the future of cricket to the extent that young cricketers worldwide became inspired to emulate such heroes. Their skill and stamina set them apart from their peers, and made spin bowling trendy again after decades spent lurking in the shadows of the faster bowlers. The trio’s ability to bowl with aggression, despite their slowness of the delivery, tortured many leading batsmen. Their relentless pursuit of wickets possessed a surgeon’s knife-like precision when executing their skill against any opponent’s weaknesses, and made them a fearsome prospect to encounter.

I was fortunate during my professional playing career to have played with, and against, some great cricketers. I enjoyed the challenge of keeping wicket to two top-class leg-spinners in Mushtaq Ahmed and Anil Kumble, who both provided a different challenge in terms of the amount of spin and bounce each generated. Kumble was tall and quick in pace for a spinner while Mushtaq was short, spun his googly considerably, and deceived the batsman with a variety of flight as well as variety of delivery.  It was my honour to have been able to enjoy this challenging opportunity. From a batting perspective, my experience included facing 8 out of the top 10 Test wicket-takers of all time. This included scoring runs against Shane Warne and Murali on a couple of occasions. I found Warne more challenging because of the ball spinning  back into me as a left-hander. With Murali, his stock ball as an off-spinner had to pitch outside leg stump to hit the wicket as he spun the ball so much. This factor made batting easier as it was possible to ‘pad away’ balls pitching outside leg stump and not be given out LBW. Also, if any delivery was pitched a fraction short, it could be cut square on the offside because of the huge amount of spin Murali generated, thus making the life of the left-hander more palatable than the experience a right-hander had to endure, where the spin and bounce reared into the batsman’s body and brought the short-leg and close fielders into play regularly.

The history of the game will record how superb these bowlers were, but their influence goes beyond statistics. Their ability to change games, and win matches and series for their teams is what defined their greatness.

Murali was unique. His contorted bowling action and rubbery wrist enabled him to impart prodigious amounts of spin on the ball which created a whirring sound much like rotating helicopter blades. His disguise of ‘the doosra’ (the other one) made him the toughest of opponents because any batsman who has uncertainty in his mind, and is unable to know where to look to determine the way a ball spins before it pitches, is in big trouble. Playing the ball off the pitch once it has bounced and spun is easier if the pace of the ball is slow, but in Murali’s case, the pace was so quick that any earlier misjudgment made it very difficult to adjust late and execute a stroke with necessary precision required to master the ball. In short he had a hold over batsmen, even the top players. The consistency and accuracy he possessed enabled him to suffocate batsmen and eventually force them to commit batting suicide.

The current generation of Test batsmen will breathe a huge sigh of relief now that the 800 wicket man has taken his final bow in Test Cricket. He will continue his playing career in ODI’s (where he is the leading wicket-taker with 515 at present) and T20′s for Sri Lanka, and also for Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL). It will provide cricket lovers with a final chance to witness one of the greats of the game and for young people to have advanced warning of the opportunity of being able to say in the future ”I once saw the magivian Murali bowl.”

There will never be another Murali. His bowling action was unique, his skill remarkable and whatever the provocation, his smile was permanent.

Golf

Tom Watson birdied the 18th hole on The Old Course at St Andrews yesterday to sign off in style at the Home of Golf, having failed to make the cut at this, the 150th Anniversary Open Championship.

Golfing greats, including Tiger Woods, stood aside as Tom Watson played to the 18th green in his last appearance at St Andrews at an Open Championship, and bade farewell to one of the greatest. Iconic names have stood on The Swilcan Bridge and displayed similar grace walking up to the 18th green on their final appearance. Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus were three of the greatest to do so. Tom Watson was in the three ball with Jack Nicklaus and Luke Donald which signed off Nicklaus’ exceptional career, and on Firday night he became the most recent to say his goodbyes to Open Championship golf at St Andrews. His symbolic kissing of the Swilcan Bridge showed his deep affection for the famous course.

Hopefully, it won’t be his last Open, as due to his 2009 exploits at Turnberry and an R&A exemption till age 65, (depending on form and fitness) we all hope to see him grace the fairways and greens of Royal St Georges; Lytham & St Annes; Muirfield; and Royal Liverpool, over the next few years.

A delightful chip at 18, revealed a rare touch, and feel for the club, ball and territory. It came within inches of being an eagle 2, and was almost the perfect send-off, but a two inch tap in for birdie, and lengthy appreciation from the adoring galleries, was a fitting finale.

His remarkable deeds at Turnberry twelve months ago, where the 59 year old American led after the first round, and was within a stroke of winning a sixth Open Championship on the final green. At the scene of one his greatest triumphs, where his victory in 1977 over Jack Nicklaus was famously named ‘the duel in the sun’, Watson was class personified. Pity Stewart Cink, who beat Watson in a four-hole Play-off, and ruined the fairytale ending. Despite being a popular man, Cink became the most unpopular champion!

Watson’s quality during the tournament shone like a beacon throughout. His grace at the end of the draining and ultimately unsuccessful Play-off, was the hallmark of a true sporting great. Unknown to many people, Tom Watson flew down to London straight away and was ‘on parade’ at a charity event the following day at The Berkshire Golf Club in Ascot, where he performed a ‘beat the pro’ at the Par 3 1st hole on The Blue Course, honoring a prior agreement.

He then played in the Pro-Am at Sunningdale before The Seniors British Open, made a charming speech in the Clubhouse in front of members and sponsors about his love of Sunningdale and his remarkable experience at Turnberry 48 hours earlier, before turning his attention to competing alongside his fellow golfing greats on Sunningdale’s revered Old Course. After each round he dutifully signed every autograph request and photo opportunity as well as mingling freely with media and spectators alike. The class, and professionalism of this true gentleman was a wonderful example to all and sundry, and I feel privileged to have observed him at close quarters.

Having grown up admiring Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, I always saw Watson as an obstacle to two of my favorite golfers’ pursuit of victory. However, I am now committed to supporting Tom Watson ahead of any other competitor, because of the man, as much as the golfer.

My respect for him was enhanced by a conversation I had with the former Liverpool Captain Alan Hansen over dinner last September, when he told me how charming Watson had been when he interviewed him for a BBC Television feature several years ago. Alan said he had been at Turnberry following every shot of the epic duel in 1977, willing his golfing hero Jack Nicklaus to victory. Alan’s annoyance at Watson for winning at Turnberry, was something he admitted to holding onto for many years, until he had the chance to spend time in his company. In the process, the golf-mad footballing Scot became a fervent, life-time admirer of the charming gentleman from Kansas.

It highlights how, (irrespective of performance) good manners and human decency are the critical to being a successful human being, especially in an age which often places material wealth, celebrity, and fame as the measure of ‘success’. It is said that people should never meet their heroes in life, just in case they have ‘feet of clay’. However, I imagine that anyone who admires Tom Watson, and then meets him, will feel vindicated for admiring such a great Champion.

Watson’s interview last night revealed a deep love and respect for the game of golf. He also shared his respect for St Andrews, the Open Championship, the people of Great Britain, and the wonderful support he appreciates from the knowledgeable golfing public who he said makes playing in the UK such a great experience.

Last night, I witnessed a quality individual make a graceful departure from one of the greatest stages in sport: an iconic event at an iconic venue.

Tom Watson: one of the best ambassadors for sport. What a golfer. What a man.

Amid joyous scenes at the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg on Sunday night, their victory was a triumph for quality and expression as well as reward for investment in people, process, leadership and philosophy.

Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta’s extra-time goal ensured that the best team in the world became World Champions, after overcoming a brutal Dutch team in the Final. However, the irony of Spain’s victory is that the architect of the footballing philosophy which has transformed Spanish football is Johan Cruyff, the legendary Holland footballer. Cruyff introduced ‘Total Football’ to Spain after years of gracing the game in Holland.

The ‘Total Football’ philosophy has its origins in Amsterdam, at the Ajax club, where visionary coach Rinus Michels introduced his ideas on how the game could be played differently and better than before. It involved players playing in a variety of positions during their developmental phase to enable them to evolve into more complete ‘all-round’ players who could inter-change position easily once they reached maturity. Chief among those receiving the wisdom, and charged with turning it into a wonderful reality in performance, was Rinus Michels’ star pupil Johan Cruyff.

Quality leadership is the key to transformation. Visionary leaders, who have the courage of their convictions, are able to inspire a critical mass of people to believe in their compelling vision. In time, the results of the transformation begin to speak for themselves, and an even bigger shift occurs which influences even more people to believe in ‘the new way’.

Rinus Michels built an awesome club side at Ajax of Amsterdam on ‘Total Football’, which enjoyed European, as well as Dutch domestic success. In the process, he was able to feed the Dutch national side with a team of quality players, and a style of play, that was the envy of other nations. Michels then went on to manage the Dutch national side and harvested the fruits of his early work at Ajax, on the world stage.

Brazil have enjoyed ‘world-class’ status since their 1958 World Cup win in Sweden, and created a dynasty that led them to becoming the undisputed top footballing nation. With 5 World Cup wins, and individual players of brilliance, who achieved iconic status worldwide, their record of achievement is far superior to Holland’s impact on the world stage. However, Spain’s success on Sunday (with 7 players raised together in Barcelona’s Academy) and Barcelona’s ongoing success has been influenced by Cruyff, both as a player and coach, and has ensured that Michels’ ‘Total Football’ philosophy has lived on, such is its’ power and influence. The irony is that it should have contributed towards Spain defeating the Dutch in a World Cup Final forty years later.

In The Daily Telegraph on 29.06.10., Argentinian 1978 World Cup Winner, (and Tottenham Hotspur Legend) Ossie Ardiles spoke about how the change in philosophy, and style of play were down to the leadership of Cesar Menotti, the Argentina National Manager, who transformed a nation’s football to become world champions who were celebrated for their quality, style, individuality, and teamwork.
‘‘The ground rules for the new identity was set by the Menotti revolution. Before him, Argentina were physical, had players sent off, went to the floor, dabbled in nonsense. We used to play football like it was war, not a dance with the leather ball’’, Ardiles said.

Where would the world be without visionary people?

It is sad that too often, they are rarely appreciated when they are planting their seeds and ploughing their furrow. Meanwhile, others reap their rich harvest for years to come. Wouldn’t the world be a better place if such people were celebrated and appreciated during their working lives, or at the very least, during their lifetime?

Great leaders and great coaches transform people, teams, companies and countries.

Developing a sound philosophy (and staying committed to it) drives the transformational process, and its impact empowers others to be part of the journey. Top sport is in need of more visionary leaders in these economically challenging and difficult times where, in many instances, values are being compromised in the pursuit of short-term success.

Which leader (and which nation) will be the next great transformational story in sport?

Germany’s performance at the current FIFA World Cup in South Africa has been a joy to watch. Their zestfulness of youth, and the encouragement of dynamic, inter-changing play at high pace, allied to a strong commitment to individuality within the discipline of a team framework and strategy has created a buzz around their team. There are even sugggestions that it could be their greatest-ever, potentially surpassing the legendary captain Franz Beckenbauer’s 1972 European Championship winnning team.

For many years, people have criticized Germany for their efficient and sometimes dull style, despite their successful results. However, under current Coach Joachim Low, Germany’s football has evolved, and they have displayed a level of creative performance (both individually and collectively) which destroyed the fancied England (4-1) and Argentina (4-0), as well as demolishing Australia 4-0 in their first group match. All this has happened without their captain Michael Ballack who was injured before the tournament, and was unable to take his place in the squad.

The semi-final beckons against the current European Champions Spain, who have yet to produce their best in the tournament so far, but pose a big threat to Germany’s current supremacy. In fact, Jochim Low has even admitted modelling his German team’s style on the Spannish, after Spain’s success in the last European Championships. A semi-final between Spain and Germany will not be a challenge of diverse culture and determining the effectiveness of style over substance. Both teams have plenty in abundance.

The key to tournament play is improving as a team as the competition unfolds, and then peaking at the right time, to ensure victory in the latter stages. This is something the Germans have been past masters at in World Cups (eleven World Cup semi-finals since 1954) and European Championships down the years. The big question now is, can Germany maintain their fitness, cohesion, and also their creativity, against a team like Spain who also excel in the creativity stakes? Can Germany reach a new peak in their performance, or have they already peaked?

A transformation in philosophy, style and performance has taken place under Joachim Low’s coaching. Whether Germany can be crowned as World Champions next Sunday remains to be seen, but without doubt, their quality and style of football has caught the imagination of everyone tuned into the world’s biggest sporting event.  It is no co-incidence that four of their leading players (Captain Philipp Lahm, midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger and forwards Thomas Muller and Miroslav Klose) helped Bayern Munich to enjoy a successful last season, which included a German League (Bundesliga) and Cup Double, and culminated in reaching the European Champions League Final against Inter Milan.

Encouraging creativity in players requires a coach to have an unwavering commitment to a philosophy which allows for players to have the freedom and license to play with joy in their hearts. It is a philosophy which is accepting of mistakes, and one which prefers individuals to explore their talent ‘fully’, rather than impose restrictions upon it. Nurturing the human being is key, and encouraging a mindset where self-discovery is the top priority. This will help the possibility of a quantum leap occuring  in the performance process at some point in time. Long-term gain is where the real reward lies, and the acceptance of mistakes by both player and coach along the way, is essential both at elite level in sport, and during the developmental phase of a player’s career.

The opposite is an environment whereby fear dominates a player’s thinking, and where creativity gets stifled in the process. People talk about ‘the fear of failure’ but effectively, such experiences are about fear of the consequences. With quality coaching and excellent teamwork, this fear becomes minimised because of the culture of ‘acceptance’. The best Coaches, and the best players know that mistakes will occur, but they believe that with a creative, attacking mindset, other opportunities will emerge if one remains committed to such a philosophy during the more difficult moments of a match, tournament, season, or career.

I know from my own 20-year professional cricketing career how easy it is to bat  ’within oneself’ for fear of making a mistake and getting out, rather than expressing oneself and dominating the bowler. Such a manner can undermine the bowler’s prospects of producing his optimum performance, and make one’s life as a batsman so much easier. Sir Vivian Richards was the master of such a craft. People would argue that King Viv, ‘the master blaster’,  had exceptional ability which allowed him to carry such attitude off. However,  I later discovered, through conversation with the man himself, that ultimately, (like everyone else in the game) he had to work on his attitude to enhance his prospects of getting the most out of his ability. For me, Sir Vivian Richards was the master of producing top performance in the most important matches and moments during his exceptional career because he took the battle to his opponents.

I played with greater abandon at the start, and also at the end of my career, but wished I had done the same in the middle phase. In trying to be ‘more professional’, it resulted in me stifling my ability for several years mid-career. I also enjoyed the game less in the process. I am sure I would have been more effective as a player, and influenced the outcome of matches more, if I had found the mental courage to explore my natural talent more ‘fully’, irrespective of the consequences. It is easy to blame the environment but ultimately it is the responsibility of every performer to find the best way (and mindset) to maximise their opportunities in sport, and in life. Thankfully, I learnt from the error of my ways and I determined to play my own way and live or die by the sword, which left me reflecting on my career with greater pleasure than had I not transformed my thinking and approach.

As a consequence, much of my coaching today, is centred on encouraging people to push their boundaries and discover more about what they are truly capable of once they free up their mind, and ‘allow’ themselves to have fun and dominate the ‘performance space’.

Over-bearing coaches and over-zealous parents can also be ‘the fly in the ointment’, despite being well-intentioned. It never ceases to amaze me how little emphais is placed on the empowerment of ‘the athlete’ to find their own way of developing creative performance. Stepping back (as a Coach or parent), and empowering the individual, and the group, to develop their own style by learning to trust their own intuition at critial moments, is a major factor in producing top-class performance.

If sportspeople do not trust their attacking instincts at key moments in a match or tournament, then ultimately, they will feel very deflated when they lose because of the knowledge of what might have beeen. The great Australian Cricket Captain Stephen Waugh once said at a London County Workshop that the four words which should never be part of a player’s vocabulary are ”would’ve, could’ve, might’ve, and should’ve.” A ‘No Regrets’ philosophy is key to maximising one’s talent and oppotunities.

Watching Briton Andy Muray play Rafa Nadal in the semi-final of the Wimbledon Championships last week, I was dismayed at his tactics on the verge of winning the second set. At set-point, Murray chose to play cautiously, while his opponent attacked with all his might. The net result is that Nadal regained the initiative, as well as winning the key points, and went on to win the match 3-0. Nadal’s supremacy in the final against Berdych exemplified this attacking instinct which overpowered his opponent in straight sets. Not only did Nadal win the Grand Slam event, but he struck a deep psychological blow by proving that his creativity and aggression would not be restricted by the enormity of the occasion. This is what Champion Sportspeople do – they trust their attacking instincts, and dominate their opponents to the point of submission. Any player who is brought up to please their coach or parent is unlikely to be able to execute such a strategy,as it takes attitude and courage. it requires the individual to reveal their true self in the heat of the battle, and if that ‘self’ has not been allowed to develop ‘fully’, then a meek and mild cat, rather than ‘a human tiger’ gets unleashed during the critical moments.

In the developmental years of a sportsperson’s career, opportunity is everything. Any player who learns to make the most of whatever opportunity available to them develops an edge that is able to differentiate them from some of their over-indulged competitors, many of whom experience too much opportunity without earning it. In such instances, people do not recognise (and are unable to appreciate the gift and privilege in front of them) and instead, develop a culture of entitlement.

Access to consistently challenging competition, and quality coaching to enhance the learning experience, helps to create new awareness in the player to stimulate new thinking, and provide the necessary fuel for continuous improvement.

Sadly, in many sport development programmes, the results become too important to players, coaches and players in the developmental years. Where short-term success is regarded as the top priority, long-term benefits get overlooked. A consequence of such short-term thinking, is the decision to select players who have matured physically at a young age, in teams ahead of smaller individuals who have greater potential. The opportunity cost, is that many talented young performers miss out on the best learning experiences available to players at a young age.

One of the highlights for me so far in this current FIFA World Cup is the superb performances of small players like Holland’s Wesley Sneijder and Spain’s Andres Iniesta. As midfield players they have excelled despite being only 5’ 6 inches in height, and slight in build. Someone, somewhere, spotted their potential at a young age and nurtured them as players, as I doubt they would have been the most dominant players in age-group football due to their size. In cricket, Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Brian Lara and Shiv Chanderpaul were diminuitive in size when young, but have grown up (in stature) to be giants within their sport. The key is giving the players with the most potential, the necessary space to grow, by providing them with the right opportunities to seriously test themselves along the way.

In contrast to this, the English football system (where young players play on full-sized pitches at an early age) means that the more ‘athletic’ and physically mature players tend to dominate, and winning local leagues is often the top priority for junior coaches across the country. The idea of boys playing in different positions, or different systems to understand more about the game, is anathema to the majority. Physicality, rather than technique, is too often the top priority when selecting players in order to increase a team’s chances of winning junior competitions.

Talent I.D. is a specialism in itself. People don’t know what they don’t know, which is why experienced people, with a track record for identifying top talent, need to be involved in the selection process for county, regional and national age group squads, to ensure those with the most potential, rather than the most dominant players, are given access to greater opportunity to mature into a ‘top-class’ performer.

When the FA ran The National School of Excellence at Lilleshall in the early 1990’s, most of the boys selected turned out to be born in September and October. This was a co-incidence at the time, but when one considers the physical maturity of boys born six, or even eleven months earlier than others, it is obvious they have an unfair advantage at schoolboy level. Physically mature players often stand out in their own age-group because of their ability to dominate on a physical level, but are they the players who are most gifted technically or indeed those with the most long-term potential of becoming creative players who can excel on the biggest stage in future?

In Cricket, the powerful hitter of the ball at a young age tends to make a lot of runs against ordinary bowling, but soon gets found out as the quality of bowling improves. At a young age, the big fast bowler can extract pace and bounce from a surface which most small boys find intimidating dueto their size. However, unless the big fast bowler develops control of line and length, and develops movement in the air and off the pitch as he matures, he will become less effective over time, because the technically gifted batsman will develop strength to add to his skill and strategic ability to make runs.

The capacity to learn and the desire to improve are critical elements in the Talent I.D. process. In the formative stages of a player’s development, most people can pick out a Viv Richards or an Ian Botham or a Maradona or Pele, but the best eyes for talent can spot a characterisitc or a quality which is not apparent to the amjority of observers.

The late Ron Greenwood, who led West Ham United to unprecedented success in the 1960′s and fashioned ‘The Academy’ at the east London Club and later managed England, converted Sir Geoff Hurst from a struggling wing-half, and developed him into  a very successful centre-forward who remains the only man to have scored a hat-trick in a World Cup Final. Greenwood, a coaching genius, had the two most important skills in that he could pick a player, and he could develop a player to a level beyond the vision the player had for himself. His coaching philosophy was centred on the mantra: ’simplicity is genius’, and his excellence in man-management enabled him to engage players in honest and intelligent conversation about the game and the player’s ability to affect the game positively for the benefit of his team. He wanted players with lively minds and encouraged people to always have pictures in their heads of where they wanted to play the ball next, or how they were going to move into space to create more possibilities in attack for the team. He would often stop the play in training and ask players to freeze and shut their eyes, followed by asking them to describe where everyone else on the field was at that moment in time. Apparently, the legendary Bobby Moore was phenomenal at knowing where everyone was, whilst Sir Geoff Hurst, Martin Peters and Sir Trevor Brooking were not far behind in their ability to define the landscape. Greenwood’s creative coaching and desire to develop players who played intelligently and creatively, helped to shape a dynasty of West Ham coaches and footballers who maintained his legacy of producing England internationals from East London.

Far-sighted coaches, who have the best interests of the players with the most potential, are needed, if creative players are to flourish and enhance the future landscape of top sport. No one wants to witness boring, functional sporting teams who grind out results in the name of professionalism. Some coaches select players who can ‘do a job’, in order to ‘get a result’ today, but ultimatley, they are cheating themselves, the player, and the sport, by ignoring the value of creative performance and the impact it can have, over time. An obsession with results at developmental level pales into insignificance over time, when results are consigned to history, and the quality of player which reaches the top in the sport proves to be inadequate, when compared to other nations at international events and tournaments. The best Coaches are always aware of ‘the bigger picture’.

Germany has led the way in terms of creative performance so far in this FIFA World Cup – will others follow their lead, and undergo a transformation in philosophy and performance over time ?

When things go wrong, who is to blame? Is it the Players, or is the Coach the one to blame? In my opinion, both are culpable, but ultimately it is the system which is at fault.

Many systems are built to protect themsleves, and only in crisis are they forced to examine their inner workings. Often, cosmetic changes get made to satisfy the critics (in times of difficulty), but ultimately, revolution is necessary in order to activate meaningful change over time.

International tournaments reveal the relative merits of the individual countries’ sporting quality, and level of performance at that moment in time. On every level: physically, mentally, and spiritually, a country’s best players (and management) are tested. The fact that England (with all its resources) have had to recruit foreign managers to lead their team at the last two World Cups reflects an unhealthy system, unable to produce coaches of sufficient quality to succeed in the role. Either that, or it highlights a system which reveals its’ lack of trust in its own people, believing the answers lie elsewhere, which suggests suggests an inferiority complex is at play within the minds of the key decision and policy-makers.

Personally, I believe that international tournaments should preclude foreign nationals from representing their ‘country of convenience’, as I think it undermines the integrity of true international competition, i.e. one country’s sporting excellence versus another. I have no problem with such individuals supporting the process as consultants at developmental level, but at the elite performance level, it should be the domain of the indigenous population. If they struggle, then it highlights where the fous of investment and development should be in the next cycle, in order for a country’s sporting prowess to improve over time.

Players must be responsible for their personal performance, but the collective performance is influenced by the Coach because of the tactics he deploys, and also the environment he creates in and around the team. In the FIFA World Cup 2010, England’s players, and their Coach Fabio Capello, failed spectacularly on both counts.

The media and the general public loves to determine the culprit and justify how things could have been different. Entertaining better possibilities is a wonderful trick the mind can play on itself in difficult times, but when it comes to assessing the wreckage in a sporting performance, it is vital to identify the critical aspects of the team/organisation, which have worked well, and the areas which were sub-optimal.

With England’s Footballers returning to UK today amid harsh criticism of their woeful World Cup campaign, the debate over Coach Fabio Capello’s future will play itself out in the press, over the airwaves, in the factories and in the pubs and bars throughout the country, as well as (most significantly) in the corridors of power at The Football Association. However, this is merely scratching at the surface of a far deeper underlying problem, which continues to reveal itself after virtually every major international tournament cycle.

How can England’s perennial failure at global tournaments (since 1966) be the fault of a coach who has been in the job for two years, irrespective of his gargantuan salary?

With a superb record in qualification for the World Cup Finals, Capello restored England’s credibility as a footballing nation after the debacle of failing to qualify for the last European Championships under the management of Steve McLaren, who was summarily dismissed as a consequence. Capello is a top manager with a superb track record in club football achievement in different countries. His style may not meet with evry player’s approval but his career results point to a man who knows his own mind and who refuses to indulge people or players who do not meet his exacting standards. However, I cannot believe that England’s players were comfortable working with a man who struggles to speak  English with ease, and a coaching staff who speak predominantly in Italian, and (apparently) to each other exclusively. Such experiences can breed resentment and frustration within a team environment. The quality of communication is critical to the success of the unfolding process in team sport and I wonder if Capello would have been better served by working alongside English coaches, irrespective of his history and loyalty to his Italian staff.

Is England’s major failure due to the inability of the players to perform under pressure?

The best sportspeople are those who can respond well to adversity and those who embrace the pressure and feed off it positively. Serial winners learn to deal with expectation and recognise thast it is part and parcel of life at the top, for which the rewards are plentiful. Are English players inferior (technically, tactically, physically or intellectually) to their foreign counterparts? Certainly Germany appeared to play with more invention, discipline, intelligence and spirit than England did last Sunday in Bloemfontein. Looking at the South American countries who are dominating the tournament in South Africa, I cannot imagine many (or any?) England players meriting selection in their teams if a combined team were to be selected.

One thing is for sure, consistent under-achievement over a forty year period since 1970 (when England were supposed to have a better team than the winning team of 1966) highlights that the pre-tournament hype about England returning as World Champions, is not in line with their historical form as a nation, or with the form (and fitness) shown by their key individuals during last season. Reaching two Semi-Finals in the history of the competition, (and winning only once), suggests that Quarter-Final achievement represents success. Entertaining ideas that we are potential winners is the stuff of fantasy or nationalistic pride or optimism.

Is the problem behind England’s football one of unrealistic expectation? I think so. The pressure the team is under is increased because of the fear which must be prevalent in the team of being unable to match the public and media’s expectation of the team as potential winners. Players enjoy this kind of potential ‘talk’ as it doesn’t require achievement in the run-up to an event, but when the bell tolls, it becomes a massive burden which few are able to handle.

Until we can produce a conveyer belt of talented young players who keep the foreigners out of the big teams due to their superior playing ability, we will find it impossible to compete on the world stage against the best opponents, let alone win. This is where the solution and the challenge lies: get the best coaches to work with the best young players and ensure that the learning environment is creative.  Providing a competitive experience (through tournaments)  to hone the competitive greatness in each player, overseen by experienced menytors, can enhance the learning experience. The players will raise each other and compete to become the best of the best in their group. Over time, a healthier system will produce a succession of players who have been raised with a better set of professional and personal values if you get the right people to guide the learning process. This way, the players will naturally de-select themsleves over time. It is survival of the fittest. It is the opposite to the culture which pervades the UK presently, where the state provides, and a nation gets ‘fatter’ and lazier by the decade, while the sense of entitlement grows that it is someone else’s responsibility to take care of the individual’s well-being. Such a society will never produce champion sportspeople in big numbers as it lends itself to developing a ‘softness’ in people. It creates a ‘victim’ mentality, whereby evereything is somewone else’s fault, and a mindset which gets brutally exposed in elite sport. Just observe some of the players’ quotes such as Chelsea full-back, Ashley Cole, who was quoted before boarding the plane to the pre-tournament camp in Austria that ” I hate England, and the f*****g people.” Charming. He added ” I always try my hardest for Chelsea and England but the intrusion and presssure I feel is making my life hell”.

So where does it begin to go wrong? I think that in the early stages of a player’s professional career, the culture of entitlement can set in, and a player’s love for the game, and the pursuit of mastery of the ball, gets lost in pursuit of the material trappings which are regarde highly and necessary accessories to mark their so-called ‘success’ as ‘celebrities’.

We were told that in Joe Cole, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney, we had players who could make an indelible mark on sport’s biggest event. Sadly, it was for the wrong reasons: England were awful, and the future appears more bleak with fewer players of similar quality coming throught o replace the current failed ‘golden generation’. Just because many of our players are ‘world-famous’, does not mean that they are ‘world-class’.

The global reach of the English Premier League has enabled the best of the English talent to earn vast sums and have their profile enhanced by exposure in over fifty countries each week. The advertising and marketing between matches of the clubs and the key players has distorted the impression of a player’s ability. Where once a player had to succeed at a World Cup (e.g.  Bobby Moore, Gary Lineker) to enjoy global recognition, players like John Terry, Frank Lampard, or Steven Gerrard is able to enjoy similar status without the achievement of a Lineker at a World Cup Finals.

The power of television has made multi-millionaires of modern players. However, it has not made them into top quality players. If they were ‘top-class’ (like Lionel Messi, Luis Fabiano, Christiano Ronaldo, or Mesut Ozil), England would have enjoyed more success as a team over the duration of these players’ international careers.

Despite the failure of the system, I believed this England team significantly under-achieved under Capello in South Africa. So where does the blame for the under-performance in South Africa lie?  For me, the relationship between coach and player is inter-dependent and there is a need to understand the dynamic balance that exists in a performance process between players and management. It can never be the fault of one party exclusively. Top players overcome being led by a mediocre coach and take ownership for the team’s performance. Likewise, gresat coaches can inspire a body of players to play beyond their own levels of expectation by organising them to play in a system andby filling them with a belief in the power of the collective being greter than the sum of the parts.

An International Coach can only select the best players which are available to him from the development system his National Governing Body has overseen. Top coaches cannot turn average players into good players. Conversely, if the players have the requisite ability, then with good coaching which inspires a team environment that enhances the possibility of creative performance emerging from within the group, anything is possible.

Human greatness comes from a internal force within each person but the ‘magic’ which exists between people is an energy flow that goes beyond words and logic. It comes from touching people’s hearts as a coach, and ensuring that the fabric of the team is woven tightly together so that during periods of stress, the whole thing does not unravel, but instead gets stronger because of the belief which grows when difficulties are overcome, and the strength of the relationships reveal a deep connection between people. This cannot be manufactured. It is not a cosmetic process, spun out by PR people or players ‘talking a good game’ at press conferences. Strengths or weaknesses are revealed during stressful moments in time.

England’s players appeared to turn in on themselves and complain about the manager’s regime during the tournament. The lonely hours of preparation and rest between games seemed to compound the problems they were experiencing and deposed Captain John Terry took it upon himself to break ranks, and speak publicly about his frustrations before the final group game.

John Terry’s unilateral actions highlighted why he is not a leader, as he undermined the management and also compromised his teammates, and implicated others in the process of ‘sounding off’. Such selfish, self-indulgent behaviour, is not the mark of a quality leader in my opinion. By saying that ‘‘if the Coach doesn’t like what I have to say then, so what’’, revealed an unbelievable arrogance and a dis-regard for authority.

In any team, discipline and cohesion are vital to successful performance. The key is to connect people to a compelling vision which is far greater than ‘self’.
England’s Football Team were lacking in resilience and quality when the pressure was at its greatest. Their performance revealed a decay in the system which develops young footballers, both as players, and as men. No doubt the system will protect itself and the nation will be promised a ‘root and branch’ review which will present the findings about what is wrong with English football, and then the new season will begin, and another debacle will be consigned to history.

I imagine that our 1966 World Cup-winning Manager Sir Alf Ramsey, and legendary Captain Bobby Moore must be looking down from on high in dismay.

Ultimately, will key people (with the passion, experience and intelligence) be entrusted with the responsibility of providing quality leadership based on a new vision for English Football?

Will a new set of values underpinned by a sound philosophy become a living organism and set new standards of behaviour to help make our nation proud of the people who represent us at football in the future.

Will a new level of excellence in coaching be established? Will our National age-group teams succeed consistently at International Tournaments? Will our players burst with pride at the prospect of representing their nation? Will our players (upon maturity) be sought after by countries around the globe to add value by showcasing and bestowing their ‘world-class’ status as proud exports of English Football?

Bobby Moore was my hero. He was an immaculate player, and an immaculate man. He inspired me as a youngster to become a professional sportsman. He loved England and he loved football. He loved captaining England. He retired from playing and experienced a difficult post-playing career while his counterpart Franz Beckenbauer was utilized by the German Football Federation and his club Bayern Munich as an Ambassador. In my opinion, our administrators displayed a lack of respect towards Bobby and his World Cup Winners, which is possibly where the decay set in.

So where does the responsibility and blame for failure lie?

It is never as simplistic as sacking the Coach or removing senior players in favour of promising youngsters. The answer lies in the quality of player and coach a nation can develop. Strength in depth is wonderful too, but this can be no substitute for quality of the highest order in the key positions.

England Football’s problem is one of systemic failure.

England has under-achieved in tournament play (and occasionally in qualification) relative to their wealth, population and sporting history. The hiring of an expensive high-profile manager is not the answer, as they just inherit the problems generated by the system, a culture which places wealth, profile and the myopia of club football above international success.

The English Premier League and the big clubs dominate the game, and England being successful as a National team is of secondary importance. Debt-laden clubs chase the dream of European Champions League qualification, while others incur big risks to stay in the league as the threat of relegation from the Premier League can lead to meltdown. Last season, Portsmouth experienced this fate and in the recent past, Leeds United and Newcastle have been high-profile casualties, while West ham United have teetered on the brink of collapse for several years.
The fear that permeates clubs in such circumstances is an unhealthy environment for talented young players to develop. Most managers who fear the sack, will not turn to a youngster who is excelling in the Youth Team or Reserves, preferring to sign an experienced player to help shore up the deficiencies of his team. If the top clubs aren’t playing the best young England players, and if the bottom clubs fear risking young players in a relegation dogfight, where are the young players going to learn the game at professional level? Overseas?

The systemic problem needs to be addressed. Otherwise, good people, conscientious and gifted coaches, and talented players, will continue to be victims of the inherent failure (over many decades) of the governing body called the Football Association. When problems run deep, the root needs to be identified and removed. Unfortunately, the FA is a moving target at present with accountability nigh on impossible, because the organization is without a Chief Executive, and without a Chairman, but facing a serious challenge to restore the nation’s faith in our national game.

Now is a time for fresh thinking to activate change. Transformation is needed.

Would you trust the same body which delivered the fiasco of ‘The New Wembley’ where the delays and spiraling costs meant the FA had to take extra loans out to finance the £798 million stadium. Annual interest payments of around £20 million are crippling the game and have meant that a variety of events including Rugby and pop concerts have taken place and contributed to the destruction of the pitch, which has been re-laid a dozen times so far at a significant cost each time. The FA have yet to commence The National Football Centre in Burton-on-Trent, nearly a decade after its approval. Canny businessmen remain horrified that a committee of people are charged with the responsibility of running the FA, and making the kind of employment decisions which allow Fabio Capello and Sven Goran Eriksson to receive contracts which are financially way above market rate, and incur significant penalty clauses for the employer for early termination.

Now is the time to address the shortcomings and empower the next generation to become intelligent, self-reliant players who are raised to be fully accountable for their individual performance, and committed to developing a greater respect for the game, the country, and fulfilling their role in ensuring the collective effort brings better returns in future.

Do you trust the same body of people to come up with the new vision for English Football?

Are we becoming a nation of sports-observers with ‘world-class’ facilities and hospitality, as opposed to enjoying a hard-earned reputation as ‘world-class’ performers?

Recently England lost an Ashes Test Series in Australia 5-0 (2006-7), and an ODI Series at home to Australia 6-1 (2009). England’s footballers failed to qualify for the last European Championships, and the England Rugby team has lurched from one ordinary performance to worst, since losing to South Africa in the last Rugby World Cup Final in 2007.

Our golfers have struggled to sustain challenges in the Golfing Majors, despite favorable final round placings. Meanwhile, Ireland has blazed a trail by producing two different winners of Major Championships recently in Padraig Harrington and Graeme McDowell, while fellow-countryman Rory McIllroy looks a serial Major Winner-in-waiting.

What do cricketer Eoin Morgan and his Irish sporting compatriots have that English people seem to lack? Is it greater passion? One thing is for sure, their eyes burn fiercely and have a stillness which suggests a clear mind, and a sharp focus.

For the firstr time in history, no English male has qualified for The Championships at Wimbledon. British Tennis’ Davis Cup Tennis ranking is a very poor (but accurate) reflection on the ability and strength of the game in UK, while the consistently abysmal individual showing at the Tennis Majors by our English players (especially since the admirable  Tim Henman retired) should be an embarrassment for those who have presided over the debacle.

As our footballers faced near humiliation until a last-ditch group win against Slovenia to qualify for the knockout stages of The FIFA World Cup in South Africa, our English Tennis players were humiliated by their blanket first round exit at the Wimbledon Championships.

How can British Tennis be so poor when it is so well-funded, and has access to a proportion of nearly 62 million people? Contrast this to some of the smaller nations who out-perform Great Britain on a significantly small percentage of the overall British Tennis budget.

Thankfully, in terms of flying the flag for England sporting success, Andy Flower’s England Cricket Team has enjoyed a transformational 18 months which has included several peaks, not least an Ashes home victory and ICC Twenty20 World Cup success. Flower’s England team are now a force to be reckoned with, and play with a high level of mental courage, and a ‘joie de vivre’, unseen by previous England teams. The true test of their skill and temperament will be defending the Ashes in Australia this coming winter, but for now, they have plenty of reasons for cheer under Flower’s astute and humble leadership.

Martin Johnson’s travails as England Rugby Manager have brought him into new territory as he can no longer play his part on the field of play, where he once led with distinction in the back row. With no previous experience as a Coach, Johnson is having to learn ‘on the job’. Last Saturday’s 21-20 win in Sydney against Australia, showed that the team is beginning to adopt some of the tenacity, and courage, which characterized Johnson’s own iconic playing career for Leicester Tigers, England and the British & Irish Lions. A 1-1 series draw in Australia is an encouraging result for Johnson’s England, and signs that the team is improving, becoming more competitive, and showing more self-belief. Whether they can find the creativity and variety of styles to defeat different opponents over time will be revealed in due course.

On Sunday, our nation’s sporting hopes will be diverted from England’s One Day International Series against the touring Australian cricketers at Old Trafford for ninety minutes, and be focused on our footballers beating Germany to progress into the quarter finals of the World Cup.

The FIFA World Cup Finals is the sternest examination of any professional footballer’s career. Some great players like George Best never had the opportunity to play in one, and therefore confirm their credentials as a truly world-class talent. Pele, Maradona and Beckenbauer and Cruyff, were able to perform, and therefore enhance their reputations, by helping their nations succeed. Others, such as our own Gary Lineker, experienced lasting, global fame, as a result of scoring World Cup goals and coming to prominence in front of huge worldwide television audiences.

Performing on the biggest stage, with the highest stakes on offer, and having to reproduce one’s best form over a period of one month, is a challenging experience which define the careers of the best players. Peaking in a Final is a quality reserved for the best teams and the world’s best coaches. Managing the group’s energy wisely is the key to ensure peak performance is possible in the final stages of tournament play.

For a sporting team, a World Cup event is the sternest test of temperament, and spirit, as well as their technical and tactical intelligence. Peaking is critical to success. The Brazil team of 1982 are regarded as the best team never to have won the World Cup because they were unable to peak at the critical moment in time, thus allowing Italy to emerge victorious in Spain ’82.

England v Germany is the iconic match for England football supporters. In FIFA World Cups England has reached the Final once while Germany has achieved this feat on seven occasions, winning it three times.

Can ‘Capello’s England’ follow the inspirational lead of ‘Flower’s England’, by turning a chaotic group of under-performing individuals into a unified body of battle-hardened players who have the courage to attack, and play without fear in their hearts?

Can the players and the management handle the level of expectation and use it positively to ignite the passion within the team? Or will the expectation prove a burden, and dis-empower the players from producing their optimum levels of performance?
Will the team’s fantasy of a peak performance, coupled with a victory, match the reality?

Holders Italy and last time’s Runners-Up France, have made an early exit from this tournament due to poor selction and poor management. If France had an individual with the wisdom and calmness of  Andy Flower in charge, would they have experienced the kind of dis-harmony within their group which undermined their World Cup?

Leadership is key, and I believe we will learn a great deal about Fabio Capello’s style, and qualities, oveer the next few days. If England can reverse the trend of European teams under-performing in the current tournament, it will be a triumph for Capello if his team can go on to challenge the South American nations who remain favorites for sport’s biggest prize.

A weekend offering us a chance to see our footballers and cricketers taking on their arch-enemies is a mouth-watering prospect. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to see England destroy Australia at Old Trafford and take an unassailable lead in the NatWest ODI Series, and England beat Germany in the World Cup Finals? Can Lee Westwood win the 150th Open Championship at St Andrews next month, and place his name alongside the golfing greats? What a few weeks of mouth-watering sport we have on tap!

Will Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button push ahead in the F1 Drivers Championship and enhance their prospects by winning the British Grand Prix at Silverstone? Will our current athletes follow the inspired lead of Sir Steve Redgrave, Sir Matthew Pinsent, Lord Coe, Daley Thompson, Kelly Holmes and other legendary Olympians, by preparing themselves impeccably for Olympic Gold Medal success, in readiness for London 2012?

Can England become renown for producing Champions? Maybe. Leadership within each sport is critical to long-term sustained success. However, the performance of any player is down to themselves as an individual, and the leadership of ‘self’ will always be the determining factor when it comes to developing oneself as a prospective champion.

What is needed right now in English sport, is a succession of top performances by our best players to inspire greater public, corporate and governmental support, and be the catalyst to inspiring the next generation to take up the challenge of the pursuit of mastery, whatever their sport.

Come on England!!